A Friendship in Retrospect
by AreUExperienced
Summary: While searching for one dear to him, Fox meets a broken, weary bounty hunter known only as Kursed. What appears to be a chance encounter becomes a wistful reminscence of things past. Emotions are spilled and hearts are bared...will the two be reunited?
1. One

**I never thought I'd be writing here again. Truth be told, I'm still kind of bewildered that I am. Yet here I am, writing another introduction to my first new story in a long time.**

**For those of you who are unfamiliar with me, I used to write a lot on this website, primarily about **_**Final Fantasy**_**. My work then wasn't too great, but people seemed to like it. Then, one day, I just stopped. I didn't feel the spark anymore, and I just kind of quit. **

**I still wrote after that (in fact, I write every day), but for some reason I just wasn't satisfied with anything I wrote. I think it was because I simply wasn't having great ideas.**

**Flash forward to about a month ago, when I had this idea about writing a story about a relationship and how both partners viewed it. Perhaps it's not the most original idea, but I liked it, and I decided to roll with it. However, struggling to come up with original characters (for the time being), I decided I should probably use some other characters in an effort to develop the story. The answer was right in front of me…I was playing **_**Star Fox 64**_** at the time, and I just thought, "You know, F and K would probably work really well with this concept." Thus, this story was born.**

**That's pretty much the genesis of this little project here. I intend to run with this through to the end; if I finally can start translating this idea into a novel like I hope to, I still intend to finish this. I guess we'll see how this all works out, though.**

**Anyway, enough of my ranting and raving. In summation, I'm glad I'm finally publishing this, and I hope you all enjoy it.**

**P.S. Being a busy person, I may not have time to update this on a regular basis; however, note that, in general, chapters will probably not be as short as this first one.**

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**One**

"Have we met before?" the patron to my right queried. Clearly a stranger; all of the regulars knew better than to pester me with their inane chatter. Taking another drink, a sighed deeply.

"Can't say that we have," I responded, refusing to even acknowledge this nuisance.

"Are you sure?" he continued. "You look and sound _very _familiar…"

_So do you_, I thought, _but I'm not saying anything_. Truth be told, his voice _was_ vaguely reminiscent of someone I once knew long ago. No, it couldn't have been _that_ long ago…it just _feels _like it.

I didn't just know him, either…I loved him. I still do. He was the best thing that's ever happened to me in this short, dreary existence of mine. He was my best friend, my closest ally, my lone confidante. I trusted him with my life; I cared about him more than anything.

No…that cannot _possibly_ be him. No…he abandoned me; he left me to die. He claimed it was for my security, that he didn't want anything to happen to me. I saw through his flimsy façade, though. How could he…how could he have just left me standing? In such a cold, dark world, how could he have done such a thing? No, I don't love him. I never did…I don't even miss him. I hate him with every fiber of my being.

"No, you must be thinking of someone else," I denied. Apparently, my answer was not satisfactory; he continued to vex me.

"Could I…could I, perhaps, get a closer look at your face?" he asked. Not once during this "conversation" had I made eye contact with him; I wasn't even looking in his direction. I had no intention of doing so, either.

"No," I bluntly refused, taking another drink.

"Why not?" he responded.

_What an annoying little_…

"Because I don't want to," I justified.

"Just one quick glance will do," he persisted. By this point, my irritability and frustration were melting away, yielding to the rage building up inside.

"No," I grunted through clenched teeth.

"Please…" he begged. I don't care if a child separated from his or her parents approached me, tears streaming down their cheeks, wailing for their mother; I simply cannot tolerate begging. I slammed my glass down and turned towards this nuisance.

"Now look here, you insolent little vermin," I yelled. "I am in no mood for—"

What appeared before my eyes prevented me from finishing my diatribe. I stopped and gasped. The man sitting before me was a face I knew all too well…the cut, built figure…the omnipresent gray jacket and blaster…the jade green eyes that captured my heart and pierced my soul…I was at a loss for words. I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown; I could feel memories of things past flooding, inundating, drowning the bitter, broken misanthrope I had become.

"Fox?" I timidly spoke.

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**Until next time, my friends.**


	2. Two

**Hello there, dear readers. I'm glad that you're coming back to read this; after all, your thoughts, opinions, and support do matter a great deal to me.**

**I don't really have much to say about this chapter...I personally feel that it's better than the first chapter, and it's longer as well, so that's good. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy it.**

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**Two**

"Yes," he responded, slightly startled. "How do you know my name?"

_Damn it_, I thought to myself. _How could I make such an amateur mistake?_ Struggling to regain my composure, I attempted to play it off as a joke.

"A better question would be who _doesn't_ know your name," I laughed.

"I suppose you've got a point there," he shrugged. My ploy had worked.

"Of course I do," I continued, although it was unnecessary. "You're Fox McCloud: hero of the galaxy, slayer of Andross, savior of the Lylat System!"

I could feel an internal conflict brewing within me; Krystal and Kursed were coming to blows.

Krystal believed every word she said; in fact, she was still in love with him. She wanted to fall into his arms and embrace him. Indeed, she could barely comprehend what she saw in front of her; could it really be Fox McCloud sitting in front of her? Should she reveal herself to him? Would he care? Would he take her back? Would they finally be reunited after what seemed like an eternity? Would they finally be able to have the future they always wanted? It was a world of possibilities that lay in front of her, and she wanted to explore them as soon as possible.

In contrast, Kursed immediately regretted making such insincere (not to mention repulsive) statements; after all, how could she possibly be glorifying this man? Isn't this the same man who broke her heart, effectively leaving her for dead? Why should she lionize this man after all the pain and misery he put her through? No, Fox McCloud is none of those things; he is no better than dirt.

"Well, I've never been called a _savior _before," he replied, "but thank you. I'll take that as a compliment." I smiled back.

"Not a problem, hon," I said. _What the hell am I doing?_ I thought. "So, what brings you to this dark, abandoned corner of the Lylat System?" An excellent question; during our relationship, Fox generally did not stray very far from Corneria unless it involved a mission of some sort. Why the sudden change?

"Oh, nothing really," he stated before taking a large drink. "Just some personal business, that's all."

_Personal business? Since when do _you _have time for a personal life?_

"Unrelated to Star Fox?" I posed. He sighed and turned towards me.

"To be honest with you," he began, "I'm actually taking a little sabbatical from that. It's very tiresome and stressful, you know? Besides, I hate getting recognized every where I go as _the _Star Fox…I _do _have a life outside of my business."

_Yeah, right, _I thought. _You love it. You being in the limelight, you love having everyone recognize you, you love being the hero and you know it._

"Well, I can sympathize with that," I lied. On the contrary, nothing could be farther from the truth. "I, too, would grow disenchanted with an 'all-work-and-no-play' lifestyle." He laughed and turned away once again.

"So what might this 'personal business' be about?" I inquired. He shrugged once more and took another drink.

"I'm just looking for someone, that's all," he answered nervously. I leaned towards him.

"You don't want to tell me?" I frowned in mock disappointment. Apparently, he didn't realize it was a joke; he fidgeted anxiously, seemingly uncomfortable with my prodding.

"Just an old friend of mine," he evaded. "No one special." I was somewhat puzzled at his behavior; normally, Fox was calm, cool, collected, perhaps even cocky at times. Sure, he got nervous around girls, but this was different…he appeared nervous, perturbed, agitated almost, as if something were nagging at him. "I don't really want to talk about her."

_I knew it, _I thought to myself. He was looking for me. No, he wasn't looking for me…he was looking for Krystal.

"Ah, so it's a woman," I said. He nodded his head.

"Hence my melancholic, evasive demeanor," he replied sarcastically. Taking on a serious tone, he reiterated his previous statement: "I'm not really in the mood to discuss her, if you don't mind. You were the only person here who looked remotely like her, so I'm pretty much just getting my fill before heading out again."

"Oh, absolutely I understand," I agreed with him. "I just think you might feel better if you do." Realizing that this was a perfect time to leave, I stood up and began heading towards the door. Yet for some bizarre, inexplicable reason, I moved back towards Fox and placed my hand on his shoulder.

"I might be able to help you out, too," I informed him. "I know a lot of people…perhaps even your girlfriend here. Just letting you know." With that, I headed back towards the door. Grabbing the handle, my escape was abruptly halted by a hand being placed on the door. I turned around and discovered the hand to be no other than Fox's.

"You said you might know her?" he asked. I found myself regretting my remarks to him; clearly, that was Krystal who said them, not Kursed.

"Well, I might," I confirmed, "but you're gonna have to tell me about her before I can help you." He sighed and looked downward; he appeared very reluctant.

"OK," he agreed. I smiled at him, pointing him in the direction of a booth. I signaled to the waiter for a pitcher of beer before sitting down. He sat directly opposite of me, the light shining down on him, giving his fur a very radiant hue, rendering him rather handsome…of course, he always was, but his appearance was even more gorgeous now.

_No, don't think of him like that…_

"So, then," I initiated, "tell me a little bit about her." He cleared his throat and slouched against the back of the seat.

"Well, I'm looking for this woman," he started. "She's a vixen." I chuckled.

"A real looker, huh?"

"Well, yes, she is," he confirmed, "but what I meant was that she's a fox…you know, like you."

_Don't try putting Krystal and I in the same class_, I thought. _Krystal was weak and easily manipulated; she is not like me in the slightest. Krystal is dead._

"I see," I said. "Does she have a name?" With that, Fox nervously fidgeted in his seat for a moment.

"Krystal," he replied.

"And why is Krystal so important?" I asked. Unlike these other inquiries, this question was actually important and very relevant; what prompted this change of heart? Why, all of a sudden, was he frantically searching for me? Did he want me back?

"There are a lot of reasons why she's so important to me," he divulged. "But it's a long, complicated story."

"Well, I've got time," I told him. "Tell me about you and her." His eyes widened.

"You mean," he gulped, "like, _everything_?" I chuckled.

"Well, sure. I've got plenty of time." I was actually quite intrigued at this prospect; it would be rather interesting to know how Fox viewed and remembered our relationship, whether it was a blessing or a hindrance.

"Well, all right," he sighed. "I'll tell you about everything, but I gotta warn you, this is gonna take a long time."

"As I stated before," I reiterated, "I have plenty of time." He sighed once more.

"All right…well, here goes nothing."

The story that followed was an adventure beyond my wildest comprehension. No…that _night _was the real adventure. All the events that transpired, all the sights and sounds…many things changed that night…including myself.

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**And with that, I bid you all _adieu_.**


	3. Three

**Why, hello there, dear readers. Thank you for stopping by once again for another installment of _A Friendship in Retrospect_. Once again, I'd like to take this opportunity to ask for your reviews, as they really are one of the major reasons why I write; your criticism and support is always appreciated.**

**I don't have any comments of major concern or note to annotate to this chapter; obviously, this is Fox beginning his reminiscence of his relationship with Krystal, right from the moment he first saw her at the top of Krazoa Palace. It's not nearly as long as the first two chapters, but it's a good one nevertheless. I hope that you enjoy it!**

**P.S. I believe that this is fairly obvious, but note that this chapter is told from Fox's point of view, not that of Krystal/Kursed. Also, as anyone who played _Star Fox Adventures_ would tell you, this event didn't happent the way I wrote it here; I was too lazy to go back and record it verbatim. Besides, I think it works better this way (no offense to Nintendo or the makers of _SFA_, obviously, as they made a wonderful game).**

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**Three**

An agonizingly bitter, unforgiving cold surrounded me, literally chilling me to the bone. The scant clothing I wore did little to protect me from the harsh, frigid atmosphere which surrounded me. A torrential, driving rain pounded against my jacket, soaking through the fabric and drenching my fur. Needless to say, I was absolutely miserable; I was lost, discouraged, and somewhat lonely. Adding insult to injury, the Krazoa spirit lodged inside of me gradually became restless: it was causing my muscles to randomly spasm every few minutes, sometimes violently. It wanted to escape; believe me, I was more than happy to do so, but I needed to find the shrine first. I sat down against a wall and sighed.

_What if I'm being led on? _I thought to myself. _What if this is just a wild goose chase? Perhaps I was simply hallucinating from fatigue or lack of sleep. Maybe there aren't such things as "Krazoa spirits," and maybe there isn't some girl I have to save. It's possible, right?_

My communicator rang at that moment. Fumbling through my pockets to find (I had put it away so that it would not be exposed to the rain; of course, with it raining as hard as it was, this was a somewhat ineffective strategy), I flipped it open. Despite the rain dooming any transmissions to suffer from static and possible communication breakdown, the identity of the caller was more than clear; through the raindrops, I could make out the familiar green (and somewhat puffy) face of Slippy.

"Hey, Fox," he began. "Got yourself stuck again?" I sighed in discouragement.

"Yeah," I confirmed, "I'm a little stuck. You got any idea where this shrine might be?" To my disappointment, he shook his head in disagreement.

"Afraid I can't help you there, buddy," he responded. "Looks like you're on your own this time."

"Gee, thanks for the help," I sarcastically thanked. _Damn it, Slippy._

"Aww, don't get all down on yourself now," he attempted to comfort. "With a little hard work and effort, I'm sure you'll be able to find it." I laughed slightly.

"Yeah, sure, but what motivation do I have?" I questioned. Slippy shrugged at this thought.

"We're getting paid a lot, aren't we?"

"Sure," I agreed, "but why else?" He paused to consider the notion for a minute.

"Well, why don't you just think about Krystal? Aren't you gonna feel good about saving somebody's life?" I lazily nodded.

"Well, of course I am," I said, "but I've—" Slippy angrily cleared his throat at this assertion, prompting me to correct myself "—_we've _already saved hundreds, maybe even _thousands _of lives before this. What difference can one life make? Besides, I don't even know anything about this Krystal. I mean, what does she do? What's her personality? What does she look like?"

"Why don't you look up and see," he smirked. I became somewhat confused by this statement.

"Look up?" I asked. "Look where?"

"Right in front of you, Fox," he clarified. "Slippy out." With that, he abruptly cut the feed, leaving me in a state of consternation. _What the hell does that even mean…look up? At what?_

My train of thought derailed at that moment: I finally looked up.

It seemed as if time stopped at that very moment: the weather ceased to bother me, the rain no longer tortured me, the pain brought about by the cold faded. I quickly ran towards the sight that lay before my eyes.

It was indescribable, an instant attraction by all means. Never before had I been witness to such beauty; I don't think I ever will again, to be honest. Such lush fur, such a slender figure, such an attractive physique…it was simply unbelievable. She appeared so calm and so at peace…so gorgeous.

"Wow…she's beautiful," I uttered, mouth agape. I knew at that moment that, no matter what else may happen, I had to succeed with this mission; I had to accomplish it, even if just for her. Despite her apparent state of serenity, I knew all was not well; every minute I wasted staring at her was killing her slowly. Yet, somehow, it didn't seem to bother me…just looking at her made me feel as if every thing was all right, even if this was clearly the opposite.

"What are you doing, Fox?" the increasingly curmudgeonly and cranky voice of Peppy cried, removing me from my trance. "Every second is precious; you've got to get that spirit back now!" Shaking my head, I looked down at the communicator.

"I know, I know," I said, "I'm sorry. It's just…she's just so beautiful, you know? It's just so…unexpected…serendipitous, you know?"

"Save the fancy romantic talk for when you save her, Fox!" Peppy complained. "We've got to get the rest of the spirits back first, remember?" I nodded.

"I'm on my way," I informed. Peppy smiled.

"You know, even when you screw up, you're a lot like your father, Fox," he reminisced. "I know he'd be proud. Peppy out." With that, the feed to the communicator shut off. Not wishing to waste any more time, I turned around and headed towards the entrance of Krazoa Palace.

Still, I had to get one more look at her. At the bottom of the ramp leading to her stasis prison, I turned around and took in her beauty once more. I smiled.

"For her," I promised to myself. "I'm gonna do this for her." I turned around and ran to the entrance of the cavernous, forbidding structure known as Krazoa Palace.

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**--Dwarves**


	4. Four

**Hello, hello, my readers. Welcome back for yet another installment of _A Friendship in Retrospect_. As always, I'd like to make my usual entreaty and ask for you to please review; your thoughts, suggestions, support, and criticism are always appreciated. **

**Man, two updates in two days...it's been a long time since I've done that. I'm feeling pretty happy about that. I'm pretty satisfied with this chapter, as well, although it may have been written somewhat hastily. Then again, my opinions on my work don't matter: it is you, the reader's opinion who counts. Enjoy!**

**P.S. I believe I did a little better remembering the dialogue from the game this time...but it's not entirely accurate, nevertheless. As I stated last chapter, I think my way works better anyway (once again, no offense to Nintendo or the makers of _SFA_), but I just want to let you all know.**

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**Four**

At long last, the Krazoa spirits had been returned. After what seemed like an eternity of toiling through strange lands, suffering through tremendous hardships, and enduring unbearable pains, I was finished. My labors were finally complete; words cannot describe the sense of relief and happiness which filled me at that very moment. Yet, despite my jubilance, there was another feeling which overwhelmed me far greater than joy: eagerness. The Krazoa spirits had been restored to their rightful place, but more importantly than that, Krystal would be freed from her prison.

Filled with a sense of vitality and feeling reinvigorated, I raced to the roof of Krazoa Palace. I felt giddy, almost, like a child on his birthday. To be honest, I'm not quite sure why I felt so excited; after all, what if this all turned out to be a sham? What if retrieving the spirits had no effect on Sauria's well-being? Could this have been a colossal waste of time? More importantly, what about Krystal? Ever since I had first laid eyes on her, I romanticized her as this flawless, angelic creature, despite having had no prior exposure to her. What if she was not what I expected her to be? What if she turned out to be the opposite of what I thought she was? What if she possessed no redeeming qualities whatsoever? Would that render this mission a failure? Would I be able to live with myself, knowing that I had exerted so much force and effort to an unjust or unworthy cause?

Brushing these concerns aside for the time being, I clambered my way through the many ramps and stairs of the palace, finally reaching the roof. As I expected, the rain came down in droves; having experienced it many times before, I became accustomed to it. Once again, there she was…Krystal. She appeared so serene, so at peace despite the turbulence surrounding her. It was as if she was on another plane, as if she somehow transcended this world and all of its trials and tribulations. It's almost unfair to think that one could be so beautiful. She truly was…no, she truly _is _blessed with incomparable beauty; I consider myself lucky to simply have been witness to it, let alone be able to possess it and call it mine.

Despite having returned the spirits to the palace, something was amiss. The six spirits were now rapidly spiraling around the crystallized prison surrounding Krystal, and they displayed no signs of letting up. Feeling my heart sink in my chest, I became increasingly worried; I began to fear for her life.

"What's going on?" I shouted. "You said this would save her!" My cries were to no avail: the spirits continued their séance around the prison, moving faster by the second. I began sweating profusely; my breathing became heavy and laborious. My heart was thumping in my chest. It appeared that what I had dreaded most was finally happening.

Then, suddenly, a slight flicker of hope: a blink. Two blinks. Three blinks. Miraculously, Krystal had regained consciousness. My hopes were instantly renewed; this was not the end.

Yet it was; the glass shattered. Having no base to land on, she was doomed to fall into the depths of the palace. Letting out an ear-piercing shriek, she began her uncontrollable descent below.

"No!!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. Feeling animal instincts kick in, I ran as hard as I could, futilely flinging out my staff in the hopes that she might grab it. I closed my eyes; I couldn't bear witness to such a horrible event.

Suddenly…a tug. I felt a force on the other end of the staff. Reluctantly opening my eyes, I soon found myself in a state of not only awe, but of joy: Krystal had grabbed the other end of the staff. She'd make it after all. Exhausted yet jubilant, I reeled her in as quickly as I could, collapsing on the ground from fatigue shortly after. I managed to muster up enough strength to stand on my own. As rapidly as I had fallen, my spirits returned to me; I gazed upon Krystal once again. I expected her to appear scared and disoriented; to my surprise, she appeared strong and courageous, as if she had awoken from a nap.

It was at this moment that I realized I was somewhat ogling her; she being (to use a term I have already used) an undeniably beautiful person, this was to be expected. Of course, she was also dressed…somewhat lightly, especially for the weather. Realizing I had not properly introduced myself either, I began to stutter and fumble around, attempting to simultaneously apologize for my rudeness and provide my name (although to little effect). She simply laughed at my awkward display.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. McCloud," she spoke. "I believe you already know my name." Not discovering until later that she was a telepath, this display of familiarity left me somewhat confused. That, however, was unimportant; more pressing matters were currently at stake. Unfortunately, my obsession with Krystal left me oblivious to many of them, namely the giant stone head floating in front of me.

"I am reborn!" a demonic voice cackled. "The mighty Krazoa god!" Letting loose an unnerving scream, the head soared off into the distance, seemingly goading me on. Even more disturbing, the voice was vaguely reminiscent of someone I once knew...someone who I thought had died long ago. Somewhat unsure of what to make of all of this, I found myself increasingly disoriented; Krystal snatching my staff from right under my nose did not improve matters.

"Hey!" I complained. "Give me that back!" The staff appeared to have some sort of sentimental value to her; she drew it close, clutching it tight in her arms and closing her eyes.

"My staff," she whispered. With a loud, confident voice, she added, "You're back." She ran towards the Krazoa head, shooting flames from the staff in its direction (even though this was an ultimately useless strategy). Although I wanted to remain and talk to Krystal (I _did _promise I was going to do this for her, after all), I realized that the fate of the planet was of considerably greater importance than my own well-being; bearing this in mind, I climbed into my Arwing and headed towards the head. Before I approached the imposing edifice in battle, however, I made one last pact with myself.

"I'm gonna go back," I promised. "I'm gonna go back for her. I've gotta get to know her. I've gotta make her mine."

Perhaps this was a rather brash statement to be making…but it's one that came true.

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**--Dwarves**


	5. Five

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Hey, hey, hey, everybody. Welcome to this next installment of _A Friendship in Retrospect_. As per usual, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you, the readers, for taking the time to read this little tale of mine, and I entreat you to please review; your thoughts, suggestions, criticism and concerns do matter a great deal to me.

**Updates three days in a row...man, that's got to be some kind of record for me. Anyway, you are in for a treat today, readers: this is, by far, the best chapter of this so far. It's a good length (the longest installation so far by a long shot), it's got a lot of juicy details in it, there are a few good laughs, it's entertaining, and it's an overall engaging and exciting read...or, at least it seems that way to me. Regardless, I sincerely hope you will all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. **

**And now, for _A Friendship in Retrospect_...**

**P.S. Once again, this is not strictly faithful to the events of _SFA _(in fact, it deviates somewhat slightly, I believe), as I did not wish to go back and record all of the dialogue. However, as I have stated a few times before, I believe that it works better this way and creates a more enjoyable and more entertaining experience (once again, no offense to Nintendo or the makers of _SFA_). There is a point-of-view shift in this chapter, I believe; it starts with Krystal/Kursed talking, then resuming Fox's portion of the story. It's pretty obvious and easy to tell, but I just wanted to be sure and prevent any potential confusion. All right, now I'm done.**

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**Five**

"You certainly have a way with words, Mr. McCloud," I complimented (albeit insincerely) as Fox finished his tale. Truth be told, I was actually very much intrigued by Fox's account; perhaps his intentions were noble and sincere, after all.

_No…this is only a false, disingenuous semblance of integrity. This is all a futile attempt to win me back. I refuse to play into this trap; I deserve far better than _him_._ _Fox McCloud is a lying traitor; he cannot be trusted. He deserves my eternal enmity and scorn._

Despite offering an impressive narrative display just moments prior, he once again resumed his usual demeanor of shyness and awkwardness around the opposite sex, beginning to stutter heavily and breathe deeply.

"Oh…well…uh, gee, thanks, I guess," he stated, accepting my praise. Despite feeling little more than antipathy towards him, I could not help but laugh: regardless of my feelings towards him, Fox's befuddled manner around girls was inadvertently charming; it was one of his many endearing qualities.

_That's right…it _was_. I'm not his slave any more._

"You're welcome, hon," I replied.

_You're welcome, hon? Where the hell am I getting _that _from…_

"So, is there any more to this little story," I queried, "or am I up to date?" Despite being very well-aware that this story was far from over, I still felt the need to make small talk; I needed to maintain my cover somehow, and any sign of familiarity or friendliness would ruin me.

"Believe me, I've only just begun," he assured before resuming.

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"Krystal?" I shouted at the top of my lungs. "Krystal? Krystal!!!"

Sadly, my cries were to no avail: Krystal was no where to be found. She had left Krazoa Palace while I was off fighting Andross; how she managed to do so was a mystery. She left no footprints, no traces, no markings…she simply vanished into thin air. Surrounded by an unceasing rain and frigid cold and filled with a sense of despondency, I sank to my knees in anguish, jaw dropped, eyes wide: she was gone. Saving Sauria was all for naught: it was all pointless if I couldn't at least meet her in the end. A sense of emptiness and oblivion overcame me; what I wanted, no, _needed_ more than any thing, more than any sort of monetary compensation or intergalactic recognition, a chance at lifelong happiness, was taken from me.

_What if I never see her again?_ I thought to myself. _What if missed my chance?_ I wasn't sure I could get over such a disappointment. I was on the verge of breaking down in tears; only a timely communicator call prevented it.

"Hey, Fox," Slippy's irritatingly shrill voice intoned. "You find Krystal yet?" Just the very mention of her name filled me with misery.

"She's not here, Slip," I sighed, closing my eyes. "She's gone." Recognizing my current state of despair, he offered a sympathetic look to me.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear about that, buddy," he offered his condolences. "I can only imagine how badly you must feel right about now."

"To be frank, Slip, I feel like shit," I confessed. "I devoted so much time and effort, shed what felt like _gallons _of blood, sweat, and tears, and worked harder than I ever had before and probably ever will…and it was all for nothing."

"Don't say that, Fox," Slippy comforted. "This mission was a great success. I mean, just think about all the lives you saved…think about defeating Andross once and for all…think about Tricky…think about Sauria, Fox!"

"Fuck Sauria!" I roared. "I could've saved ten million people for all I care, but it doesn't fucking matter! They can't help fix a broken heart! They can't bring me satisfaction! They can't bring me happiness!" By now, I had nearly lost complete control over my emotions; tears began to run down my cheeks. "Don't you see, Slip, she was _it_…she was what this was all about…and now that's gone. Call me a romantic if you want, but I'm pretty sure I just lost my shot at finding love, Slip, and I don't think I'll ever get it back." I managed to regain my composure somewhat by this point and cease my wailing, but Slippy still appeared utterly dazed. Contorting his face into many different shapes and proportions (as he often did when he was thinking), he struggled to find an adequate response to my rant.

"Once again, I really am sorry about that, Fox," he finally responded after what seemed like a span of a thousand years. "I wish I could help you out, pal, but I can't really do remedy things that are out of my control…some people just aren't meant to be together, I guess, and I think you might just need to accept that and move on. I know it'll be hard, but you're a tough guy; I think you'll make it just fine. Even if you do some how trip yourself up and fall down, your friends will be right behind you to get you back on your feet. I don't know if that means anything to you at all, but I thought it might help." Slippy really is an inexplicable creature: for one who is so often clumsy, inept, and untimely, he really is brilliant in so many ways. He isn't necessarily eloquent or a great orator, but there's just something about his voice and his way with words that's calming, soothing, reassuring…maybe that's why I put up with his many failings as a pilot; because he's such a great friend.

"Maybe you're right, Slip," I sniffed, "maybe you're right. Get the docking bay ready; I'm on my way back to the Great Fox. Fox out." Shutting off the feed, I stood on my feet. Although I felt somewhat inspired by Slippy's words, sorrow still inundated me. Head hung low and shoulders slouched, I climbed into the Arwing once more, setting my course for the Great Fox.

* * *

"Hey, guys, you don't mind if I roll with you again, do you?" a familiar, somewhat brusque voice inquired. At least one pleasant surprise awaited me that day: the return of an old, dear friend. Regardless, not all the pleasant surprises in the world could improve my mood at that time (or ever, possibly).

"Sure, Falco," I agreed, "it's great to have you back." Shooting one of his trademark grins, he walked over and gave me a high five, although I only lazily participated. Struggling to comprehend my lackluster enthusiasm, Falco looked at Slippy and Peppy, seeking an answer.

"What's up with this guy?" he asked, pointing at me. "He looks like he just got dumped or something." Groaning heavily, I shoved my face into a pillow on the couch I happened to be lying down on.

"He's in a bit of a rut right now," Slippy explained. "He doesn't really want to talk about it."

"Well, screw that," Falco scoffed. "I signed up for Team Star Fox, not Team Sad Sack." My response was to throw my communicator at him, exerting what little strength I had. Despite the fact that this remark was made in jest, I was in no mood for humor at the moment, and certainly not jokes made at my expense.

"Gee, calm down, buddy," he laughed. "I'm just joking."

"He hasn't really been in the mood for anything lately," Peppy informed. "He's just been sitting around, moping all the time." Pausing to chuckle for a moment, he added, "His father was like that, too…" Clearly uninterested, Falco headed towards the door.

"Whatever, man," he shrugged, "just let me know when he starts feeling better so we can actually have some fun. Anybody want a cold one while I'm on my way down to the kitchen?" Receiving no response, he uttered a derogatory remark underneath his breath and left.

"Hmm…let's see here…" Slippy muttered whilst fidgeting and tinkering with ROB's circuiting. "If I put this here…and that there…then ROB should be…good…to…go!" His prediction was correct: almost immediately, ROB sprang to life, as if he had never malfunctioned to begin with.

"Thank you, Slippy," he spoke in his robotic monotone. "May I resume my duties now?"

"Of course, ROB!" he exclaimed. From across the room, Peppy chimed in, "Please! I haven't had a good meal to eat in a week!" ROB offered a pedantic chuckle in response. Why Slippy chose to program emotions into ROB is a mystery, but it doesn't bother me; it's nice having somebody who will help you and sympathize with you no matter what.

"I shall commence culinary duties momentarily," he said. "However, I have an urgent message for Fox."

"You hear that, Fox?" Slippy cried. "It's for you!" Reluctantly rising from the couch, I headed towards ROB.

"Oh, gee," I sarcastically remarked, "whoever could it be?"

"Message received two minutes ago," ROB offered, "from an unknown sender."

"Two minutes ago?" I expressed cynically. "You were just fixed five minutes ago. How the hell do you already have a message? How can you even _receive _a message now after you were messed up so badly?" Refusing to answer my questions, ROB continued.

"Shall I play this message?" he directed towards me. Despite feeling rather hesitant and unsure, I consented.

"Yeah, sure, go ahead." Plugging himself in to the hologram deck on the bridge panel, Slippy and Peppy huddled closely around; I, on the other hand, simply continued pacing around the room.

"Hello, Fox," a soft, feminine voice began. I snapped out of my depression in an instant: my eyes grew to the size of the headlights on the Great Fox and my heart rose in my chest, thumping as hard as it could. I knew that voice…_Krystal!_

"Get the hell out of my way!" I shouted, shoving Slippy and the increasingly frail Peppy out of my way. My eyes did not deceive me; I beheld Krystal's angelic face in the hologram panel.

"Goodness, Fox," Peppy complained, "watch what you're doing! I'm an old man, for heaven's sake!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I spoke rapidly, ignoring his protestations. "Just shut up for a minute, will you?"

"I just wanted to express my gratitude towards you for saving me from that dreadful prison I was shackled in on Krazoa Palace," she thanked. "You certainly are my hero." She paused and laughed slightly at this statement. A huge smile formed on my face; maybe it wasn't the end after all.

"I just wish we could've gotten the chance to talk," she lamented. "I would've liked to have gotten to know my savior a little better. I suppose that's all right though…after all, I have a feeling I'll be seeing you again, Fox McCloud." Shortly after this cryptic remark, the transmission cut off abruptly. Once again, I was left with more questions than answers.

"What? No!!! Seeing me again? Where? Why? How? When?"

"How about now?" a voice behind me proposed. Turning around, I nearly jumped out of the ship when I saw who the speaker was.

"Krystal!!!" I cried at the top of my lungs. She couldn't help but laugh at my reaction.

"Excited to see me, I take it?" she assumed. As I expected, my unorthodox (or just plain awkward) method of conversing with females kicked in.

"Oh, well…sure…I mean, yeah a little," I sputtered. She giggled.

"You know, you're very cute, Mr. McCloud," she said.

"You can call me Fox," I replied, unaware of how else to respond. "So…uh…can I maybe…help you with something?" She smiled.

"Sure you can," she stated. "Can you close your eyes for a few seconds?" Although puzzled, I consented.

"Of course." Unsure of what to make of all of this, I closed my eyes as tightly as I can. What I received was quite possibly the greatest reward I could've asked for: leaning in close and wrapping her arms around me, K kissed me deep and passionately. Breaking apart after a few moments, I opened my eyes, only to be greeted with her loving gaze. I could only reply with some sort of unintelligible chatter, naturally greeted with laughter.

"You're very welcome, Fox," she smiled. "And I'd love to join the team, if that's what you're thinking." Slowly sliding away from me, she headed towards the door, turning around and winking at me before exiting. As soon as she left the room, I walked over to Slippy, dazed and confused, Peppy and ROB sitting on either side of him, huge grins carved on their faces (except for ROB, of course). My jaw was dropped; was this, perhaps, too good to be true?

"Did…did…did…did that there just happen?" I stated, although it really seemed more as if I were thinking aloud than asking a question.

"I certainly saw it," Peppy chuckled.

"Can't say I didn't," Slippy seconded.

"I concur," ROB agreed.

"So then…what does that mean?" I asked. Slippy laughed once again.

"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that means that one: you saved Sauria from complete and utter destruction, two: you finally vanquished Andross, three: you saved Krystal's life, four: Krystal seems to have a thing for you as well, and five: Krystal seems to be a part of Team Star Fox now. But I'd go talk to her first, if I were you." Jumping for joy, I ran straight for the door, hurrying down the hallway after her. I accidentally ran into Falco on the way down, knocking both of us down.

"You certainly seem to be in a better mood," he smirked. Smiling from ear to ear, I grabbed Falco and hugged him as tightly as I could (something I would otherwise never do under any circumstances). Clearly perturbed, he threw me off of him.

"Maybe a bit _too _cheery," he complained. Ignoring him, I continued my race down the hall.

"Life is beautiful!!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. It really was.

* * *

**--Dwarves**


	6. Six

**Hello there, everybody! Welcome to yet another supplement of _A Friendship in Retrospect_! As is customary, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of my readers and viewers for coming back to this story, and more importantly, I would like to ask for your support by reviewing. Your comments, thoughts, insights, and criticisms mean a great deal to me and do have an effect on how I write the story, so I'd love it if you do. Kudos to all of you who have already submitted reviews; I hope you will continue to do so as this story goes on.**

**I'd also like to apologize for the length between updates; I am aware that nearly two weeks have passed since the last update and am very sorry about that. I will do my best to ensure that such a thing never happens again; you have my word.**

**I think this chapter is okay, personally; it's definitely not the best I've written, but it certainly isn't terrible. I think there are a few good laughs to be had, and it's overall pretty engaging, so I think you're all going to like it. Then again, I'm the author; of course I'm going to like my own work. **

**Anyway, enough of my blabbering; enjoy this next chapter of _A Friendship in Retrospect_!**

* * *

**Six**

A discomforting, nauseating sense of revulsion and disgust overcame my senses. How I was able to disguise it truly mystifies me; never before had my past (something which I already viewed with distaste and contempt) horrified and shocked me so. Indeed, I was shocked to hear that I was capable of such acts; the very notion of having done such things sickened me. How could I have done such things? How could I have fallen for such a charade? As much as I wanted to vomit, my cover was far more imperative than my feelings at this point.

"So, then…" I said, "did you actually _do _anything with this Krystal, or are you just unnaturally obsessed with her?" Chuckling slightly, Fox took another drink.

"I'm just getting to that part now," he assured before resuming his story.

* * *

"Just walk down the hall, knock on her door, and ask her out," Falco directed me in a manner more befitting a child. "It's not _that _hard."

"Of course I know what to do, Falco!" I snapped, annoyed at his condescending demeanor. Recalling my reasons for hosting such a rendezvous in the first place, my tone immediately drifted from one of annoyance and frustration to one of intimidation and uncertainty. "Just what if…what if…what if she says no, Falco? What if she doesn't feel the same way about me as I do about her? I'd look like an idiot…she'd just laugh at me. I don't think I can take that kind of rejection." Disappointed, Falco slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand.

"Unbelievable," he muttered. "He can save the entire Lylat System, destroy the most dangerous criminal mastermind ever spawned in this galaxy, and perform death-defying stunts on a daily basis, yet Fox McCloud is too afraid to ask a girl out on a date." Taking this as an insult to my honor, I proceeded to accost him, grabbing him by the collar and lifting him off of the ground.

"I am not!" I defended. "I could go down there right now and ask her out if I wanted to!" Calmly removing my hands from his neck and lowering himself to the floor, he proceeded to look at me directly in the eyes.

"Then go do it," Falco stoically challenged. "I'll be waiting here to find out what happens." In typical Falconian (I suppose that's the adjective) fashion, he abruptly slammed the door on me at the conclusion of his sentence, leaving me alone in a cold, dank hallway of the cavernous Great Fox. Attempting to respond with a witty rejoinder, I slumped against the wall opposite Falco's room when I realized the truth of his statement: I needed to overcome my insecurities and simply talk to Krystal if I wanted to establish any sort of meaningful relationship between us. Mustering up what courage I had, I stood up and proceeded to head towards Krystal's room, located only a short distance away.

I must have stood outside of her room for fifteen minutes before I actually made a move. Once again, I found myself the victim of low self-esteem; the scenario of Krystal rejecting me unfolded repeatedly in my mind, each time more run-through more painful than the last.

_Come on, Fox, don't think like that_, I told myself. _She wouldn't do that to you. _Then again, who's to say that she wouldn't? _No, of course she wouldn't. Even if she's not interested, she'd politely decline, right? Krystal's a woman; she knows how to deal with guys. I'm sure it'll all turn out great._

I certainly didn't buy into these mantras, but I kept repeating them to myself in a (futile, really) effort to build my confidence. Taking a deep breath, I slowly rapped upon the door…one…two…three…

I stood there impatiently for a few minutes, wondering what was taking her so long. I felt an internal conflict brewing; the optimistic half of me attempted to persuade me that she was simply asleep and that I should come back in the morning, while the more pessimistic side of me seemed convinced that she knew I was there and didn't want to talk to me. I wasn't sure who or what to believe, but all I knew was that if I had to wait another thirty seconds, I was going to leave.

It was a good thing I didn't. Just a few moments later, the heavy metal door swung open. Almost instantaneously, my eyes grew to the size of Slippy's and my jaw dropped. Standing before me was a beautiful, shapely vixen with blue fur, jade green eyes, and a bewitching smile, dripping wet, wearing nothing but a towel.

"Oh, my goodness," she exclaimed, her voice tinged with surprise. "I'm so sorry, Fox…you caught me right as I was getting out of the shower."

"I…uh…I…uh…I can see that," I stuttered, dumbfounded. _Great; not only do I look weak and unimpressive, I sound like an idiot and I look like I'm ogling her. Way to go, Fox._ She didn't seem to be bothered by my display, however; she simply laughed.

"I suppose you weren't expecting to see so much of me, huh?" she remarked.

"What?" I answered. My composure was rapidly coming undone; I was practically sweating bullets by now. "Oh, you mean…oh, no, of course not, it's no problem. You think I haven't seen a girl get out of the shower before? Please…I'm not seeing anything new." Realizing how dumb and inadvertently offensive I must have sounded, I attempted to correct myself: "No, that's not what I mean; this is completely new for me…like, seeing you in this…fashion, you know? I mean, you're absolutely gorgeous, you know…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you, I just—"

"Fox, Fox, Fox," she laughed, putting her finger to my lip. "It's okay. I know what you mean. I'm not offended at all…and thank you for calling me gorgeous, by the way."

"Yeah," I gulped, "not a problem." _How could she find _anything _attractive in me by now?_

"Hmm," she smirked. "So…did you want something from me, or did you just come to stare at me?"

"Stare at you…good one," I complimented. Taking another deep breath and standing up straight, I looked at her straight in the eyes and opened my mouth. _She's just so beautiful…_

"Before I say anything else," I began, "I just want to let you know that this may sound a little weird, but I ask this with the utmost sincerity. So, yeah…just take this seriously, I guess is what I'm trying to say." Nodding her head, she leaned against the door and gazed at me unwaveringly. _All right, Fox, this is it…destiny._

"Krystal," I began, "would you…maybe…like to…go on a date with me sometime?" Anticipating a long, awkward silence, I was thrown completely off-guard by the response I was given: an emphatic "ahh!" and Krystal throwing her arms around me in a tight embrace. I don't think I had ever been so close to her before as at this particular moment; the fact that she was only wearing a towel (and the fact that she was still quite wet) made me want to melt.

"Oh, Fox," she squealed, "I thought you would never ask." Drawing back slightly and looking at me directly in the eyes, she smiled. "I'd love to. Just tell me when and where, and I'll be there." I found myself in a state of disbelief; could this possibly be happening? Could I possibly have a date with _Krystal_? I must be dreaming…but no, this was very much reality…oh, how sweet it was.

"All right, cool," I swallowed, attempting to hide my pleasure (although the giant smile on my face gave me away). "How about we talk more about this tomorrow?" She nodded her head.

"That sounds good to me," she agreed. Removing herself from me, she headed back to her room. "I can't wait for this to happen, Fox…I've actually had something of a crush on you for a while."

Now _that _was too good to be true: Krystal, quite possibly the most beautiful person in the whole Lylat System, had a crush on _me_? There was simply _no way _that that was possible.

"Really?" I sought confirmation. Flashing another one of her trademark smiles, she nodded her head.

"But we can talk more about that tomorrow," she said. "Good night, Fox." With that, she closed the door and returned to her own devices.

I'm glad nobody saw the things I did after this exchange; my joy overtook me and made me do some perhaps irrational things, most of which involved yelling, jumping, and dancing. If you don't mind, I think I'll go ahead and gloss over those…less glamorous aspects of this account.

"Falco, Falco!" I shouted, banging on his door as hard as I could. "You're never gonna believe this! I did it! I got a date with Krystal! This is the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me! I can't believe it! Let me in! You have to hear this!"

"Your room's across the hall, dumbass," was the sarcastic response I received. "Go to sleep now; you can tell me about it tomorrow."

* * *

**--Dwarves**


End file.
